


The Truth About Minsc

by WGalaini



Category: Baldur's Gate, Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons and Dragons - Fandom, Fan fiction - Fandom, Forgotten Realms, black isle, interplay
Genre: Gen, With A Twist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 10:39:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18408944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WGalaini/pseuds/WGalaini
Summary: I wrote this short story for an Interplay fan-fiction contest DECADES ago. And I won a mousepad! Now that I'm an author, I dug it up and figured this would be the best, safest place to publish it.





	The Truth About Minsc

Despite the calming chorus of crickets, Cim found no sleep. She leaned against a thick oak, seating herself between its roots while biting her nails. It was a nervous habit that she avoided when anyone was present, but in her brief solitude she took solace in it.

Enviously she watched the chests of her party members rise and fall as they slept nearby. Keldorn was the first to doze off. The man could sleep anywhere, anytime. Next to him lay Anomen. Cim often found it funny that despite the constant bickering between the two, Anomen would only sleep at Keldorn's side.

As for Jaheira, she snored. Loudly. But Cim wouldn't dare disturb Jaheira from a deep sleep. Not after last time.

Cim wrapped herself tighter in her cloak, despite the night not being chilly. No fires were lit for fear of being found in the woods by enemy patrols. Tomorrow she would lead them into Firkaag's dungeon, and her worries were compounded beyond normal when Keldorn speculated that Firkaag was actually a dragon.

She had never seen a dragon before. How do you fight such a powerful enemy you know nothing about? The stress from this and many other questions had kept her awake long after the party had collapsed from the day’s exhaustion.

Cim's eyes happened upon Minsc. He was leaning against a tree, the blue moonlight giving a polished sheen to his head. Minsc had volunteered for watch that night, and did so vigilantly while kissing the top of Boo's head.

He was the complete model of ease, calm and centered. Cim smiled and momentarily forgot her burden.

"What's it like, Minsc? What's it like, being you?" she asked warmly.

Minsc looked to her, eyes in shadow, his face difficult to read. Boo climbed along his shoulder and slipped down his collar. Silently stepping over everyone, he settled next to Cim on a root. With an unusually thoughtful sigh, Minsc answered.

"What do you think it's like?" His accent was gone, and his face suddenly held an awareness that Cim had never known Minsc to have.

She gasped. Her hand went to her dagger.

Minsc snickered.

"Come on, now. You're not _that_ good to take me. . ." It was like someone else was in his body. "Relax, let them sleep. Let your blade sleep too." In the dark she could see him smiling.

"Who are you?!" Cim snarled, slowly making her way to her feet.

"Minsc." He said plainly.

"I know Minsc, and you're n-"

"Do you? Do you know the man you call Minsc?"

Cim was silent.

"I remember the day we met. I'm the same man who hammered Davaeorn into the ground. It's me. It's Minsc."

"I don't understand."

"That's fine." Minsc rearranged himself amongst the tree's thick roots to become more comfortable. "That's fine. Sit down and relax. Or are you going to maze me?" he said with a bit of sarcasm.

Without reply, Cim sat.

He continued. "You can live and die calling me Minsc, and it would be no lie. As for my loyalties, I think I've proven myself to you several times over. Don't you?"

"You're still not explaining."

"Oh sure I am. I just need to do it slowly. I don't want to stress you out more than you are. Anyhow, what I was saying was I've proven myself. You've seen me fight at your side and I've been loyal and I've defended anyone who has followed under your banner. I try not to give you too much hassle and most of all, I try and keep moral high."

Cim nodded.

"I know you know all this."

Cim nodded again.

"Anyhow, the truth is I am not as dumb as you have been led to believe."

"Why? Why the lie? Where are you actually from? Does anyone else know?""

Minsc smiled. "There's the questions. You're always about the questions." He nodded in approval. "Firstly, pretending to be dumb as a post is useful, in that you thusly control other's expectations of you. I find it a useful tool in nearly everything. You immediately assumed I was struck in the head as a child when you first met me by the road."

"What else was I supposed to think!?" Cim declared loudly. Minsc hushed her.

"Nothing! Nothing. You did nothing wrong and it wasn't a test. It's just my way of getting around with people. But anyhow, that's how I approached you."

“And that's how you've remained! Even in our most private moments together when we lost friends!" she snarled. "Why!? When Dynaheir died you managed to keep the presence of mind to maintain your guise!"

Minsc sighed. "Dynaheir was a wonderful woman. She was the first responsibility I had taken on in a long, long time. The feelings are true, despite how I express them."

"How can I believe you?"

"Does how I express myself change how I feel? Does it ma-"

"A person can't help but express their feelings. Whether orc or elf or dwarf!"

"Oh? Is that right? You mean, you express your feelings of rage and bloodlust? You tell us openly of how you're terrified? You confide in us how unsure you are of how this will all turn out? No, no you don't. Instead, you walk out front and tall, leading us on without flinching only to gnaw your nails to the nub when everyone's asleep."

"Then why do you follow me? You obviously know better. What if I give you a wrong command and you die?" Cim's resentment colored her voice.

"Then I die. It's one of the many things I have experienced being with you. Which brings me to my whole point! That's why I'm here and act the way I do!"

"For experience?"

"Right."

"Wrong. That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard, even for Minsc."

"I'm still Min-"

"Where are you from? No lectures. Just answer."

"I'm from a place where you've never been, and never will be. You couldn't even gauge my age because it could never me measured in time."

"And what in the nine hells is that supposed to mean?"

"Cim, just calm down. Where I'm from and what I am can be for another late night chat."

"Don't give me a hard time in regards to what we discuss when. You did, after all, find this the right moment to drop this fire-ball on me."

"The reason why I did so was that I want you to know you've got a little bit more punch in your corner than you may have thought." Cim thought of all the times Minsc was swinging his mace, and how his face was so stern and focused while doing so. In battle, he always reacted sharply and always remained tactical in his choice of targets and approach. Cim examined his face.

"Is Firkaag a dragon?"

"Cim, you . . . you can't ask me that."

"Why not?"

"You've done amazingly well and have gotten us all by so far! I'm not about to start opening my mouth now. Besides, then it will no longer be your quest, but mine."

Cim thought for a long time. Her hand went up to her mouth so that she could nibble on her nails, but she caught herself. Folding her hands in her lap, she spoke.

"You're not doing this for the experience." She said mildly. "You're running from something."

The two sat quiet, listening to the Crickets' song.

"What is it you think I'm running from?" Minsc asked eventually.

"Some responsibility, I guess. So you come here. To this continent or plane or time or whatever and decided to play the smallest role you can manage."

Minsc nodded, deep in thought. "Something you've been wanting to do yourself for a long time. I think you can understand."

She did. And that calmed her.

"Well . . ." she began, exasperated. "What about Boo? I mean, is he really a giant space hamster?"

"Yes. Yes he is."

Cim's eyes widened and she sat erect. Mouth agape, she fumbled for words. "Is that-r-really . . . he is!?"

"Nah, I'm just pulling your leg. I really do love him, though. I mean, how couldn't you?" He smiled mischievously.

She laughed, and felt good doing it. The pre-dawn sunlight was revealing Minsc's face more and as he snickered, she realized that he actually was handsome, and his body moved with more care and subtly, like he was suddenly conscience.

"I still don't know if I can trust you . . ."

"Today you'll see more proof of why you can. And tomorrow, and the day after that."

"Truth is I'm always afraid that I won't be able to have them raised. What if I make the wrong decision or lose my nerve?"

"I wouldn't be here following you if I thought you 'freezing up' was actually a possibility." Looking around, Minsc spied the growing light in the trees. "Well, it's time to get things together." He stood up, and began walking toward the sleeping party. Three strides away, he stopped. Turning with a smile he spoke. "Watch me work my magic." He whispered with a wink.

Tromping around he stretched and yawned loudly. "Morning has come and now it's time for the seven most powerful goodness doers to trample evil once more! Are you exited!?" Minsc said with his usual fire, his tongue lazy once more.

Anomen groaned, and stirred. "Perhaps I would be . . . if I didn't have such a back ache from sleeping in my full plate every night . . ."

"If I wanted to wake up next to complaining, I would have just stayed home." Keldorn rang out as he rolled to his feet.

Jaheira rolled onto her knees and began cracking her neck. Yoshimo dropped from the trees above, shook his feet, and began his morning stretches.

"Are we ready!?" Minsc beamed. "Well!?"

"Ready for a bath? Oh yes . . ." Anomen said, sniffing Keldorn. Keldorn was preparing a reply when Cim spoke out, standing on her feet with her cloak clasped, her skin now stone.

"No games today. We'll have Lord Jierdan Firkaag on his knees before the sun hits the other horizon. Bury all food and nonessential items here. We battle light."

Sober nods came from everyone. Minsc beamed. "I sense the inspiration for songs coming on! We should commission a Bard to walk with us! We will be his battle muses!"

"Sure thing, Minsc." Cim said, smiling. "Sure thing."


End file.
